Professor Helen Roy

Ecologist, author and President of the Royal Entomological Society

Professor Helen Roy MBE is an ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. She is fascinated by the interactions between insects and other species. Helen also enjoys science communication and public engagement with research which led to her interest in citizen science. She has a passion for ladybirds and has led the UK Ladybird Survey alongside Peter Brown (Anglia Ruskin University) for more than 15 years. Recently they co-authored the Field Guide to Ladybirds of Britain and Ireland. Helen is delighted to be the current President of the Royal Entomological Society. Her research on invasive non-native species has received international recognition and she is currently leading a global assessment on invasive non-native species for the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Ladybirds guide: why do they have spots, do they bite, ladybird life cycle and how many species are there?

Ladybirds (known as ladybugs in some countries) or Coccinellidae are one of the 103 families of beetles in Britain – an order of insects that comprise 4072 species at the last count!

Professor Helen Roy

Ecologist, author and President of the Royal Entomological Society

Asian hornet guide: how to identify, the difference from a native European hornet, and how to report a sighting

Ladybirds guide: why do they have spots, do they bite, ladybird life cycle and how many species are there?